Life is simple when we are new to the world; eat, drink, poop, squirt, sleep, and spit-bubbles pretty much occupies our existence during our first few weeks to months (for some, years) on Earth.

As we grow and discover the world around us things start to get complicated, and that complication and how we deal with it is the stuff of the stories we tell ourselves. It would be nice if things could stay as simple as it was when we were babes, but the resulting story would be boring: "It was a dark and stormy night. He ate. She drank. They pooped..."

You get the picture.

Some of the best stories are those about our teen to young adult years, so much is going on in our lives during this time that much of it becomes a blur when we look back years later. That’s why a well-presented tale that focuses on that time is always so popular. Look at the run-away success of the Harry Potter books, Nancy Drew Mysteries, The Dark Materials Series, and many others. Even in fantastic settings, it isn’t so much the magic, dragons, or murder that makes the story interesting, it’s watching how the protagonists find their way through what life sets in front of them.

Such is the case with one of this week’s freebies from the iTunes Store: The Best Years.

Samantha Best is an orphan who’s spent much of her life in foster homes, but that chapter is closing when we meet her; she’s leaving her foster home and heading off to top university on a scholarship. She meets new people, guys and girls from all walks of life, and their influence Samantha’s life, or lack of it, is what the show is all about.

I’m glad I didn’t dismiss this show as just another teen drama; it is a teen drama, but it has an edge that I think most people will be surprised by, and like.

The iTunes Store is offering the first episode, Vertigo, for free this week.

Reality shows are all about self discovery, or so some may claim. Shows where they pit skill against skill does have merit in my book -- they remind of boxing, where you put two guys (or girls now) in the ring and see who comes out the walking. I still question how ’real’ these shows are, but we won’t get into that now.

One such show is Top Chef, where 15 chefs from around the country vie for the title of Top Chef, and $100,000.

It’s mildly interesting to watch how this eclectic group of people interact, but it’s more fun to see what culinary masterpieces or disasters they create. If you have even the most remote interest in cooking, or if you just like to eat, you may find that the free episode of Top Chef, First Impressions,� well worth the time to download it.

Also, if you are looking for free vids to fill your new iPhone with you might want to check out Cool Hunting, a video podcast collection found at the iTunes Store.

Cool Hunting is actually a Web site dedicated to revealing the convergence of art, ideas, and technology; sort of a younger, more laid back version of Omni Magazine. Young people looking to expand their knowledge and appreciation of the world around them should make this Web site a stop on their Road to Discovery. Cool Hunting hosts a collection of very interesting, very artsy videos, all of which are available at the iTunes Store.

I watched episode 78, which centered on musician, E*Rock. I have a lot of respect for guys like E*Rock who appears to be genuinely interested in his art. Other videos are equally captivating, so check it out.

Other freebies at the iTunes Store (with direct links):

Vern Seward is a writer who currently lives in Orlando, FL. He’s been a Mac fan since Atari Computers folded, but has worked with computers of nearly every type for 20 years.